Improvement in portable wire fences



s. HOLT. Pdrta'ble Wire Fences.

' Patented Sept. 22,1874.

i I M & y

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL R. HOLT, OF VVORTIIINGTON, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE WIRE FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,157, dated September 22, 1874; application filed July 22, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL R. HOLT, of Worthington, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in PortableWire Fences; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the inventiou, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in fences.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents an isometric view of my invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation of my fence-posts, showing the coupling-notches therein. Fig. 3 represents the manner of coupling the panels offences after my invention.

My invention consists in the parts and combinations as hereinafter specified and claimed, wherein A are stringers of wire, which are attached to the posts B at the upper part of the notches b in any suitable manner, although I prefer to secure the wires to the posts, as shown in the drawings, by turning them upward after passing through the notches b, and then passing them through the post B and clinching the same upon the opposite side. 0

are pales or pickets, provided with the slots 0 made alternately upon opposite sides of the picket, for reasons which will hereinafter appear. The stringers A, which may be three or more in number, are introduced into the slots 0, which are of a proper size to admit the stringers A snugly to fit into them. The slots 0 upon the pales G are so arranged that the stringer A enters each successive pale alternately upon one face and the other in the manner of weaving. By making the slots 0 of a depth beyond the centers of the pales O, the stringers A will pass practically through the center of each pale, and will be, therefore, slightly, if at all, bent or kinked, thereby permitting the pales, if necessary, to be slid or moved upon the stringers A'for the purpose of producing a more or less open fence. It will be seen that by my arrangement the slots 0 upon the pales G, and my manner of alternately facing said slots in each successive pale of my fence, that the entire structure is held together securely in a manner to insure the greatest strength and durability, while, at the same time, if it is necessary for any cause to remove a picket or to replace one, it can readily be done without interference with the panel.

I am aware that fences have been constructed wherein the pales or pickets were pierced with holes and thestringers passed through them; but it is obvious that such pales could not be readily removed or new pales added without materially interfering with the panela difficulty which I have obviated. I am also aware that fences have been constructed provided with slanting notches upon the side of the picket in which the stringers have been Woven; but this device is open to the same objection as just set forth, and is, moreover, more difficult and expensive of construction, and is less durable, inasmuch as the stringers coming in contact, as they do, are liable to destruction from oxidation. The lower end of each alternate end piece is notched into thecross-piece, and is held in place by a wire which passes over the end of the upright or post, and is firmly secured to the ends of the cross-piece, thus forming a complete stay or brace, and serving as a base to the fence.

I will now describe my posts B with their notches b, with the function accomplished by the same. The notches b, as to their form or fashion, are sufficiently described by referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings. These notches are made upon opposite edges of the posts that are to come together in the joining of the several panels, and the wires or stringers A of each panel are introduced into the notches I) made in the post of the other in the manner shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

This device and manner of joining I believe to be entirely novel in the construction of fences, and I accomplish by this method of coupling the following advantages: First, the panels may be quickly and readily uncoupled, and yet are not at all liable, from any jarring or ordinary movement, to come apart; second, by the sliding movement allowed, the different panels of my fence may adapt themselves to any inequality of the ground upon which the fence is to be laid third, I do away with' all the bolts, clamps, screws, and nails, or other of the commonly-employed methods of connecting panels of fences; fourth, by my device and method of coupling every panel is complete and ready for setting up without the employment of any other parts or devices; fifth, by the sliding motion allowed at the connection of the panels 1 have overcome a common and serious objection to wire fences, viz., the effects of contraction and expansion caused by cold and heat, inasmuch as the panels of my fence may be so set as to accommodate the expansion and contraction by the sliding motion referred to; sixth, by my device and method of coupling the panels of fences the same may readily be brought into a circular or any irregular shape for the purpose of inclosing stacks, animals, 850., without endangering the couplings or the panels.

SAMUEL R. HOLT.

Witnesses LEVERETT L. LEGGETT, J. TYLER POWELL. 

